Archive for the ‘Targa Newfoundland’ tag

Vintage and modern cars will compete for awards and bragging rights in the 2008 Targa Newfoundland

The Targa Newfoundland, a seven-day, 1,500-mile contest that plays out over the public roads of Canada’s easternmost province, returns for its seventh running from September 13-20, and there’s still time to register. The Targa offers competitors the opportunities to test their skills and their cars against the clock, as well as take in the scenic beauty of the province.

Two levels of competition, Targa and Grand Touring, are held consecutively. Targa, an all-out competition that requires a fully race-prepared vehicle, is open to Classic (1981 and earlier) and Modern vehicles, with a no-holds-barred Open division and a new category added last year for hybrids. Grand Touring is a time-speed-distance rally, with categories for cars equipped with rally computers, and those without.

Entry fees are $5,495 for the Targa, and $4,995 for Grand Touring. Applications will still be accepted after August 31, but a $750 surcharge will be added. Don’t have a car? No worries, you can rent one. Not moved by the spirit of competition? September is a wonderful time to visit Newfoundland and its capital, St. John, and enjoy the sight of all-out competition on closed public roads. For all the details, visit www.targanewfoundland.com.

(This post originally appeared in the August 28, 2008, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)

Roy Hopkins and Adrienne Hughes of Spencerport, New York, negotiate a turn in the Targa Newfoundland on their way to the overall win
photo courtesy Targa Newfoundland

Roy Hopkins and Adrienne Hughes of Spencerport, New York (about 10 miles west of Rochester), scored an incredible overall win in the 2007 Targa Newfoundland driving a 1969 BMW 2002.

“I’m still a little numb,” said driver Roy Hopkins after crossing the ceremonial finish line in downtown St. John’s. “I don’t know how we did so well. Honestly, some of it was luck.”
This is the fifth outing at the Targa for Hopkins and Hughes and the second time around for their sponge-painted Bimmer 2002. Their best previous finish came with the car last year, when they finished fifth overall.

“For us, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience… and here we are for a fifth time,” Hughes said. “We’ll try and find a way to be back next year.”
Hopkins’ and Hughes’ win in their vintage BMW is remarkable considering they had to outperform a field of tough late-model cars, including factory efforts backed by Mazda, Lexus, MINI and Subaru.

Question: “Have you ever wondered what it is like to run a Targa Stage?”

For myself and McNessor at least, most definitely. And while he’s a Carrera Panamerica veteran, the closest I’ve come are a couple right-seat rides in rally cars, and an agreement with my wife that someday, when we can afford it, we’ll turn our Subaru into a rally car. And a brief discussion with Vermont SportsCar about building a car for tarmac…

Until then, the Precision Sports Car Targa Newfoundland blog–Michael runs an Austin-Healey in the Targa–has some sweet relief, in the form of a blistering in-car video of “Betty,” his buddy Dick Paterson’s Mini.

The video is “from the inside of Betty while Dick and his Kiwi co-driver Tony Mattson hot shoe it through the very tight Brigus stage in the 2006 Targa Newfoundland. They were one of only two cars that managed to “clean” the stage.”

Yep, those are picket fences they’re blasting by. As Michael says, “Turn up the sound and enjoy the ride.”

The organizers of Targa Newfoundland have announced a new twist to the event designed to appeal to exotic car enthusiasts and classic car collectors: the Targa Tour.
New for the 2006 event, the Targa Tour will permit the owners of pedigree cars to drive the same roads as regular competitors, enjoy the same social events and be part of the Targa experience without the rigors of an actual competition.
“The Targa Tour is for vehicles that cannot be prepared to meet the rigid safety requirements of Targa, or whose owners simply wish to have a more relaxed time at the event,” says Bob Giannou, organizer of Targa Newfoundland. “Participants in the Targa Tour will follow the event as opposed to participating directly in the competition.”
As they will not be competing on any of the closed road stages, entrants in the Targa Tour only require a street legal vehicle and a regular driver’s license. The Targa Tour is a way to come and enjoy everything Targa Newfoundland has to offer, from stunning scenery and beautiful vehicles to world class motorsports, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador’s famous hospitality.
The first four installments of Targa Newfoundland attracted such vehicles as a 1938 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia Spider, 1965 Porsche 356, 1928 BMW 327, 1958 Ferrari 250 Tour de France, 1948 MG TC, 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gullwing and a 1925 Stutz 695 Roadster.
Complete details on the Targa Tour can be found on Targa Newfoundland’s Web site at www.targanewfoundland.comor by calling 1-877-332-2413.

(This post originally appeared in the November 10, 2005, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)

Hemmings e-newsletter reader Kent Smith wasted no time e-mailing me with a request for a little something about open-road racing in vintage cars. Well, just above the Silver State Classic on my personal racing to-do list, www.silverstateclassic.com, is the Targa Newfoundland – a rally that winds its way around the diabolically twisted roads of scenic Newfoundland. Old cars are allowed in the Targa, but so are new and late-model machines. In fact, this year Chrysler is fielding a pair of race-prepped 300Cs. While it’s cool to see an automaker taking an interest in a motorsport that doesn’t involve high-banked ovals and massive financial penalties for potty-mouthed drivers, it’s also slightly discouraging from a dirt-poor amateur’s point of view. Of course, the guy with the most money doesn’t always win, but he sure has the best odds. Anyway, rather than bore you with more babbling, I’ll just direct you to www.targanewfoundland.com.
The race runs from September 10-17. Maybe I’ll see you there in 2006, Kent!

(This post originally appeared in the June 30, 2005, issue of the Hemmings eWeekly Newsletter.)